Combined thread cutting and stitch removing tool



J. B. MILLER June 12, 1951 COMBINED THREAD CUTTING AND STITCH REMOVING TOOL Filed Jan 14, 1949 7 Iiifd 4 m mu e N I m x\ M W W l N H 7 5 b Patented June 12, 1951 COMBINED THREAD CUTTING AND STITCH REMOVING TOOL John B. Miller, Gainesville, Ga.

Application January 14, 1949, Serial No. 70,935

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a bag-opening device, and more particularly to a device for loosening the threads of a bag-closing line of stitching.

It is an object of this invention to provide a bag-opening device for use by farmers, housewives and others whose work entails the frequent opening of bags having one end closed by chain stitching.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bag-opening device for engaging the chain stitches used to close fabric receptacles in such a manner that one stitch will be severed andan adjacent stitch will be pulled loose from the receptacle where it may be grasped to ravel the thread or cord from the bag.

Yet another object of this invention is to pro.- vide a handy, portable tool of this kind for use where a large number of such bags must be opened daily, as in the handling of bags of dairy and hog feeds and fiour, sugar and salt bags.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification; and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bag-opening device of my invention applied to the line of stitching closing one end of a fabric bag;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the bag-opening device;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on the line '55 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l6 designates generally a bag-opening device constructed according to an embodiment of my invention for opening the line of stitching normally used in closing the open end of a fabric bag II at one end thereof. The line of stitching l2 used to close the open end of the fabric bag I I is generally formed of chain stitches I4 so formed that upon severing the thread of one of the stitches, the threads may be raveled along the length of the chain for opening the bag.

It is the custom in the handling of such bags to break one of the stitches l4 and then feel for the loose ends on opposite sides of the bag for pulling the loose ends apart to unravel the line of stitching. In places where a large number of bags must be opened daily, the severing of the line 01? stitches and the subsequent feeling for 2 I the loose end thereof result in very much lost time. While the lost time on each bag may appear negligible, when there are a large number of bags, the cumulative time wasted in searching for the loose ends to be drawn results in a loss and waste of time and money.

The. bag-opening device it of my invention is designed for opening the bag l I closed at its open end by the line of chain stitching l2 in such a manner that a suitably long portion of the broken thread will be exposed on each side of the bag II, where it may be readily grasped for raveling the threads from the bag.

The bag-opening device It is formed with an elongated handle l5 having a recess at one end thereof. A bag-opening element or thread-emgaging member I6 is carried by one end of the handle l5 by engagement in the recess or opening II. The thread-engaging member l6 includes a central body portion I 8 having a pair of spacedapart fingers or tines l9 and 20 extending from one end thereof. A shank 2| on the end of the body It! opposite from the fingers l9 and 20 is engageable in the recess or opning I1.

Both of the fingers I9 and 20 are substantially triangular in plan view, the side edges of each of the fingers converging forwardly from the body portion l8. One of the fingers 20 is triangular in cross-section, having a fiat bottom Wall and an upwardly-extending cutting blade or knife edge 22. The finger 20 is substantially pyramidal in configuration, terminating at a sharp point 24 at the forward end thereof.

The finger [9 adjacent the finger 20 is substantially conical in configuration terminating in a point 25 transversely spaced from the point 24 of the finger 20.

A ferrule 26 is engaged about the end of the handle [5 on which the thread-engaging member I6 is fixed. The ferrule 26 is formed with a sleeve 21 engageable about the periphery of the handle, and an inturned flange 28 overlying the forward end of the handle [5.

The fingers or tines l9 and 20 are arranged in side by side spaced relation with respect to each other and bowed outwardly with respect to said handle I5.

In the use and operation of the bag-opening device ii], the points 24 and 25 of the bifurcated thread-engaging member I8 are engaged between adjacent threads and the bag I I. The fingers l9 and 26 are pushed upwardly for extension under the stitches of threads, and as the greater crosssectional portions of the fingers engage between the stitches l4 and the bag II, the thread is tensioned so that the thread of one of the stitches will be severed by the cutting edge 22 of the finger 20. Further extension of the bag-opener l0 upwardly will result in the extension of the greater cross-sectional area of the finger l9 between the adjacent stitch and the bag II, for drawing the broken end of the thread upwardly away from the bag. In this manner one finger, 20, cuts the thread, while the other finger, [9, draws the thread out from the bag by engagement with an adjacent stitch. As one stitch is severed, the extension of the finger I9 between the adjacent stitch and the bag I I will draw the severed thread from the bag providing a suitable length of thread which may be engaged or grasped by an operator for further raveling the thread from the bag. In this manner the bag may be readily opened, as the curvature of the fingers l9 and 20 provides for the extension of the fingers between adjacent stitches and rocking of the bag-opener for severing the stitch in engagement with the cutting ed e 22.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A bag opening device comprising a handle, a thread engaging member arranged in alignment with said handle and having one end secured thereto, a pair of tines arranged in spaced side by side relation positioned adjacent the other end of said member and secured thereto, one of said tines having a cutting edge extending throughout its entire length for severing one stitch of a thread closing an end of a fabric bag, and the other of said tines being rounded throughout its length for engaging an adjacent stitch for drawing the severed thread from said bag upon extension of said thread-engaging,

member between a pair of bag closing stitches and the bag.

2. A bag opening device comprising a handle, a thread engaging member arranged, in alignment with said handle and having one end secured thereto, a pair of tines arranged in spaced side by side relation positioned adjacent the other end of said member and secured thereto, said tines being bowed outwardly with respect to said handle, one of said tines having a cutting edge extending throughout its entire length for severing one stitch of a thread closing an end of a fabric bag, and the other of said tines being rounded throughout its length for engaging an adjacent stitch for drawing the severed thread from said bag upon extension of said threadengaging member between a pair of bag closing stitches and the bag.

JOHN B. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 27,244 Sullivan Feb. 21, 1860 764,064 Minter July 5, 1904 865,126 Rosing Sept. 3, 1907 2,038,916 Vorwerk Apr. 28, 1936 2,249,378 Di Leo July 15, 1941 

